Glenfiddich 18 Years Review

“The Black Sheep of the Family”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland/Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 18 Years ("Old" Version)

ABV: 40 %
Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 566

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Pleasant but not very intriguing. There is some Sherry influence but it's all a bit quiet and underwhelming. The Alcohol is noticeable but not in a very annoying way. In fact, the ABV is certainly inadequate for an 18 Years old Malt. I find Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Mixed Dried Fruits and Nuts with Raisins and Hazelnuts in the lead, light Honey, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Salt, Pear Drops, White Grape, Sweet Apple, Grass, Straw, Wood Shavings, Herbs, light Vanilla, Cinnamon, light Ginger, Citrus and hints of Peach Jam and Mint. It's Sweet but not overly so. It's an okay Nose for Whisky Newbies but there's not much adventure to be had for the more experienced fans. Despite the bits and pieces of Aromas that I find, there's a bit of a Tired Refill cask feeling to the Glenfiddich 18 years.    

Palate: Quite Sweet but certainly too Thin. The ABV is absolutely inadequate for this Single Malt. The Oak is much clearer now. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, assorted Nuts and Dried Fruits with Raisins and Almonds leading the way, light Honey, Orange Peel, light Vanilla, Sweet Apples, Pear Drops, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, light Licorice and hints of Dark Chocolate and Espresso.  

Finish: Short, Medium-Sweet and on the Thin side. The Oak, Herbs and Spices are much more present now. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Rum-Soaked Raisin, light Vanilla, light Honey, assorted Nuts, Oak, Orange Peel, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, light Licorice, light Mint and hints of Tea and Cocoa Powder.

I added a little water and I get some extra Floral notes on the Nose. Both on the Nose and on the Palate I find a little Strawberry Jam as well. Remarkably, the added Water doesn't kill this Malt despite the low ABV. You can experiment with a few drops at a time.

Rating: 83  

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 21

General Remarks: The Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant. It's still owned by the Grant Family today and Glenfiddich is the world's best selling Single Malt. The standard distillery range consists of the 12, 15 and 18 Years. The 18 Years expression matures in a mix of Ex-Sherry and Ex-Bourbon casks. Recently, Glenfiddich introduced the 18 Years Small Batch Reserve. I'm not sure if there is a real difference between the two except for the packaging and bottle. Both are being married for a short time in small batches before bottling. I will try to get a sample of the Reserve as soon as possible to be able to compare the two. The "Old" 18 costs between 60 and 100 US Dollars depending on where you live. The average price is around 85 US Dollars (October 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good and dangerously drinkable but not very exciting. 

Conclusion: The Glenfiddich 18 Years is a nice entry Malt for beginning Whisky drinkers but more experienced fans will be rapidly bored by this Malt. It's all a bit tired and predictable. In fact I question the necessity of this expression as it isn't an improvement over the 15 years. Maybe that's in fact the reason that the Distillery decided to introduce the new 18 Years Small Batch Reserve. I really must try to get a sample of this "New" 18 years expression. Let's hope the distillery did a good job in revitalising their 18 years Single Malt. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Because the "Old" 18 Years is a bit of a Black Sheep in the Glenfiddich Family!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 13, 2016

Glenfiddich May 2014

Bunnahabhain 1968 (Whisky-Fassle) Review

“We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Cask”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bunnahabhain 1968 (Whisky-Fassle Limited Edition) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 42 Years

ABV: 43.8 %
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 565

Colour: Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: Quite Fresh and Light given its age. This is certainly not a Sherry Bomb. The relatively Light Colour of the Whisky also indicates that the Refill Ex-Sherry cask hasn't been extremely active. On the Nose, this Bunnahabhain is Fruity and Floral but with a few Sour - and Mineral notes as well. Make sure you give this Malt enough time in the glass. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Demerara Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Candied Almonds, Mint, Dusty Shelves, Straw, Cocoa Powder, Espresso and light Spices. And then there's the Fruit of course, the main driver of this Bunnahabhain. There's both Sweet - and Sour Fruit. I am nosing this Malt for more than half an hour now and every time new Fruity impressions pop up. On the Sour side I find Lemon, Grapefruit and Green Apples. The Sweet notes are mostly Tropical such as Papaya, Mango, Banana and Pineapple. But also Pear and Melon. It's quite a Fruit basket. The Oak is there of course but it doesn't dominate at all. The ABV is quite low of course and the Alcohol is fully integrated. After quite a while, a few Herbal notes appear. Despite the fact that the Nose is quite Light for its age, there is enough to discover here if you have some patience. The Aromas don't hit you though. You have to carefully sort them out. I like it that way!    

Palate: A little on the Thin side. The low ABV doesn't help I'm afraid. The Fruit is still there but more in the background. Wax, Oak, Herbs, Grass and Spices come in play. It's a little disappointing after the excellent Nose. I find Toasted Cereals, Wax, Grass, Straw, Resin, Oak, Bitter Salted Almonds, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Ginger, Licorice, Honey, Orange, Grapefruit, Pear and a hint of Tobacco.  
      

Finish: Middle-Long, a little Thin and Bitter-Sweet. The Oak is quite noticeable by now. I find Sweet Barley, Honey, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Mixed Dried Fruit, Grapefruit, Toasted Salted Almonds, Menthol, Licorice, Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon and strong Tea.    

I only had a small sample and just smelled and tasted it neat.

Rating: 88   

Nose: 23 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 22

General Remarks: The Single Cask Bunnahabhain I'm tasting today was distilled in 1968. It matured for 42 years in a Refill Ex-Sherry Cask and was bottled at Cask Strength in 2011 by German Independent Bottler W-F (Whisky-Fassle) in a partnership with Whiskybase, Rotterdam. At the time of bottling it was sold at around 250 US Dollars but in the meantime it has become a very rare Malt and prices for the remaining bottles went up to around 700 US Dollars (October 2016). It won't be easy to find though!

Bunnahabhain (Mouth or Foot of the River) Distillery was founded around 1881 and is located close to Port Askaig. Usually, the Distillery dries the Malt with hot air or light Smoke, giving their whisky a more subtle flavour then most of its Peated neighbours on the island.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: This is one of the oldest Whiskies I have Nosed and Tasted so far so naturally I was very excited to try this Bunnahabhain. First of all it's amazing to note that such a whisky was produced on Islay. Because it has nothing to do with the Peat, Smoke, Iodine and such that this island is famous for. This is something completely different. Let's start with the Nose. It still has a Crisp and Fresh feel to it. With a little patience you will discover a wide variety of Sweet -, Dried - and Sour Fruit elements. Really nice but not in an overwhelming way. This Bunnahabhain is not at all a Sherry Bomb. The Palate and Finish pale when compared to the Nose. The main reason could be the low ABV. I firmly believe this Bunnahabhain overstayed its cask time. And the Ex-Sherry cask, I might add, was certainly not a very active one to begin with. As the result, Oak, Oak-Spice and Licorice dominate the Fruit on the Palate and in the Finish. More so, the low ABV gives a Rather Thin feeling to this Bunnahabhain. Mind you, this is still a very good Single Malt but it could have been much better in my opinion. As it is, I loved the Tasting experience but I would never spend 700 US Dollars on this Bunnahabhain.

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 10, 2016

May 2014

Oban Little Bay Review

“Little Oban”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Highland (West)

Brand: Oban Little Bay 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 43 %
Chill-Filtration: Yes
Whisky Review # 564

Colour: Amber with a touch of Orange (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Quite Sweet and Malty with Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Whole Wheat Biscuits, Heather, Straw, Salted Almonds, Mixed Dried Fruits, Caffe Latte, Oak, Citrus, light Honey, Wax, Vanilla, Marshmallow, Caramel, Herbs, Menthol, Green Apple, Ginger and a distant hint of Leather. There is a bit of Earthy Peat and Smoke in the background. The Vanilla of the New Oak cask ends is certainly noticeable but the influence of the Refill Ex-Sherry Casks is small. The Alcohol is not fully integrated as might be expected of a relatively young Whisky. It's different when compared to the 14 Years. It's Sweeter, it's got more Cereals, less Peat and less Coastal influences. To sum it up, the Oban Little Bay is more mainstream. 

Palate: Young and slightly Edgy. It's basically Bitter-Sweet but with a few Sour components as well. I find Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Brown Sugar, Salted Nuts, Mixed Dried Fruits, Orange, Charred Oak, light Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Green Apples, Menthol, Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Caffe Latte and faint hints of Chocolate, Smoke and Aniseed.  

Finish: A bit Short, Light and Medium-Spicy. Quite Dry and a little Acid towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, light Honey, Salted Nuts, Mixed Dried Fruit, Oak Char, Green Apple, Licorice, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Citrus, Bitter Tea, Menthol and hints of Dark Chocolate, Smoke and Espresso.   

I added a bit of Water but didn't find any important changes. A bit more Cloves on the Nose and a little less Alcohol of course. The Finish becomes too Short. 

Rating: 82 

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: Oban (Gaelic for Little Bay) distillery is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and was founded in 1794. It is located in the seaport of the same name on the frontier between the Western Highlands and the Isles. This is where Peat and Heather meet Salt and Seaweed! Oban is now owned by the Diageo Group. The Little Bay was launched in 2015 and at first tested in the Travel retail shops. In the meantime it's part of the core range of the distillery and it's likely to replace the 14 Years in due course. The Little Bay matures in a mixture of Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogsheads, Refill Ex-Sherry Casks and Refill casks with new Oak casks-ends. Finally, these Spirits are married in small 200 litres Ex-Bourbon barrels. It is sold at around 70 US Dollars (Oct. 2016). 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but nothing special. 

Conclusion: The Oban distillery has the potential to produce a Whisky that bridges Highland and Island Malts. And the 14 Years does that in a certain way. The Little Bay is not a bad Single Malt but I would not recognise it as Oban in a Blind Tasting. Too much Sweet Cereals and Vanilla and too little of Oban's familiar Coastal Aromas and Flavours. It's also relatively Young and even a tiny bit Sharp on the Palate. The Oban Little Bay is just another of the never ending wave of Mainstream Malts that hit our coasts these days. Harsh Whisky Reality I'm afraid. If you like Oban, stay with the 14 years as long as it's around. More so as the prices are quite similar in most places!   

Jan van den Ende                                                                      October 7, 2016

The Corriemhor Cigar Reserve Review

“Magical Mystery Mhor”

Country: Scotland

Region: Most likely Highlands/Speyside

Brand: The Corriemhor Cigar Reserve
Distillery: Unknown
Released by: Peats Beast Ltd, Hereford, UK (Fox Fitzgerald Whisky Trading) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS (Said to be Around 8 Years)

ABV: 46 %
Chill Filtration: No 
Whisky Review # 563

Colour: Very Deep Amber 

Nose: Quite Sweet but a little on the Thin side despite the adequate ABV. The Refill Sherry casks make themselves known immediately. I find Toasted Cereals, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Figs and Apricots, Christmas Cake, Orange Peel, Winter Spices, Nuts, Vanilla, light Oak, Earth and hints of Dark Red Fruit, Tobacco, Dark Chocolate with a very high percentage of Cacao and Espresso. Despite the above mentioned Aroma impressions, there's still a bit of an immature feel to this Malt. It could have done with some extra years in the casks. The Alcohol is present but not in a very annoying way. A little Sulphur is noticeable as well. 

Palate: Sweet but with a slight Bitterness that sort of reminds me of English Marmalade. I also find Toasted Barley, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Caramel, Dark Red Fruit, Mixed Dried Fruits and Nuts, light Honey, Sherry, Citrus Peel, Christmas Cake, Pepper, Ginger, Tobacco, Chocolate, Grass and a hint of Armagnac.      

Finish: Quite Long, Sweet and Sour and with a very light Bitterness towards the end. I find Malt, Vanilla, Caramel, Dark Red Fruit, Orange Flavoured Chocolate, Sherry, Butterscotch, Dried Fruit, Almonds, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom and Oak.   

I added a little Water and some additional Floral notes appear on the Nose. The Palate and Finish become too Thin for my taste. Better sip it Neat or on the Rocks. 

Rating: 83   

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: The Corriemhor Cigar Reserve was created by the well-known blender Richard Paterson. As such it was part of the Whyte & Mackay portfolio for quite some time. Originally, it was a vatted Malt. In 2012 however the brand name was bought by Peats Beast Ltd in the United Kingdom. This company re-released the Cigar Reserve, this time however as a Single Malt, bottled at 46%. The Malt matures in an even mixture of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry Casks. It is usually priced in the 45-60 US Dollar range (September 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Quite Pleasant    

Conclusion: There's nothing really wrong with this Mystery Malt except perhaps for the Nose that is a bit too Thin in my opinion. But other than that it's quite drinkable and likeable. And it should match a strong cigar as well. Judging by the colour, the Ex-Sherry casks have been very active or some Caramel has been added. I would assume the latter but I'm not sure about it. Corriemhor Cigar Reserve has some characteristics of an After Dinner Whisky but it's still a little too Young and Thin to fully convince me in this respect. It's a nice every day dram though although it might be just a little too expensive for that. And now for the 1 million Dollar question! Who distilled this Single Malt? I am pretty sure it's a Speyside Malt and the nice bottle reminds me of Aberlour. I don't think it's an Aberlour but maybe the bottle was inspired by the region. If somebody knows a bit more, please leave a Comment!       

Jan van den Ende                                                                  October 5, 2016

The River Spey

Glenmorangie Dornoch Review

“Appearance Over Content”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highlands 

Brand: Glenmorangie Dornoch (Limited Edition)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS 
Chill-Filtration: Yes

ABV: 43%
Whisky Review # 562

Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!

Colour: Golden Hay (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young, Light, Malty, Sweet and quite Crisp. Fortunately, I don't get any annoying Sulphur as was the case when I reviewed The Glenmorangie Tayne recently. The Sherry influence is quite limited so I suspect that the Amontillado Finish of part of the Spirit used in the Dornoch was not too long. I also don't get significant Smoke - or Peat notes although there is a Dusty Road/Earthy feeling to the Nose. Instead I find Malt, Caramel, Straw, mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits, Buttered Toast, light Peanut Butter, Toffee, light Honey, light Vanilla, slightly Sour Apple Juice, Pear-Drops, Citrus and hints of Fresh Herbs and Pineapple.     Most of the Aromas are mere impressions. The Spirit is still young and the Cask influence is limited. Malt, Orchard Fruit, Nuts and Caramel are the main drivers. The Alcohol is noticeable but doesn't spoil the Nosing fun. All in all, the Dornoch is slightly "boring" on the Nose. 
   

Taste: Slightly Thin, Young and Bitter Sweet with a Sour Edge to it. I find Toasted Cereals, Straw, Caramel, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Honey, Butterscotch, mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits, Sour Apples, Pepper, Aniseed, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Orange Juice, Earth and hints of Milk Chocolate and Espresso with Milk. A slightly higher ABV would have helped the Dornoch.     

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and Medium Spicy. A little Dry towards the end. The Citrus (Orange, Nectarine, Lemon) is much clearer now. I also find Caramel, Toffee, light Vanilla, Toasted Barley, Oak, light Honey, Nuts, Earth, Sour Apples, Pepper, Ginger, Fresh Mint, light Aniseed and a hint of Espresso.    

I added a few drops of Water and the Nose gets additional Floral - and Fresh Herbs notes. Palate and Finish become too Thin. 

Rating: 82.5    

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: Glenmorangie was founded in 1843 by William Mathesen. A nice Visitor Centre was opened in 1994 and a museum followed in 1997. Since 2004 it is owned by Moet-Hennessy. Glenmorangie has always been one of the pioneers to experiment with different Wood Finishes. 

This is the story behind the Dornoch as you can find it on the Web Site of the Distillery:
  
"Established in 1843, the Distillery was named Glenmorangie, Scots Gaelic for Glen of Tranquillity, perfectly describing its peaceful setting on the banks of the picturesque Dornoch Firth, a vast sea estuary and a worldwide Site of Special Scientific Interest

To raise awareness for the conservation of the Dornoch Firth, Glenmorangie has partnered with the Marine Conservation Society to preserve this precious waterway.

It is this unique location that is perfectly celebrated by our latest limited edition"

The Dornoch was launched in late 2014 as a "Limited Edition", basically only available at Travel Retail Shops. It is a special marriage between Spirit that matured in traditional Ex-Bourbon casks and lightly peated Spirit finished in Amontillado Sherry butts. The price is usually in the 80/100 US Dollar range (September 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but uneventful.    

Conclusion: The Dornoch is not a bad Single Malt but it's still a rather Young Whisky. The Oak influence is limited and I can't find significant Peat - or Smoke notes. It's perfectly drinkable although a higher ABV would have helped the Delivery as it's actually quite Thin. I appreciate that a small part of every sale is transferred to the Marine Conservation Society but otherwise the Dornoch is way too expensive for what it offers. Another NAS expression with a nice story! If you like Glenmorangie you better stay with their Original!

Jan van den Ende                                                             September 29, 2016